In the past hydroponics has proven itself to be a viable approach to the production of certain foodstuffs. However, the research that has been applied to hydroponics has basically been in the field of plant pathology and little attention has been made to mechanical problems of commercially growing and harvesting the resulting vegetable product for food purposes.
One of the problems in past practice has involved the environment for hydroponic growth, namely the greenhouse that has been used for the purpose. The greenhouses generally have been designed to accommodate not only the growing plants but also the humans that are required for seeding or planting the hydroponic trays and for harvesting the resulting product. It is estimated that about fifteen percent of the volume of a greenhouse is devoted to plant production while the balance is devoted to the space required by humans in working with the plants that are being grown in the hydroponic system.
An important item that must be taken into account in the commercial operation of the greenhouse structure is the provision of means of access to the greenhouse for planting and harvesting purposes and a practical mechanization of the production facilities. Another important item relates to plant isolation whereby the possibility of contamination of the system during the growth cycle is reduced. A still further item involves environmental control which should be carefully designed to accommodate the optimum environment of the living organisms being grown, i.e., temperatures, exposure to light, gaseous environment, humidity, nutrient replacement, etc.
Thus the design requirements which are important for hydroponics commercial growth include (1) the reduction of the volume of the greenhouse to only that volume required by the plants, (2) the provision of means for ready access to the greenhouse for planting or harvesting purposes, (3) the mechanization of the production facilities, (4) plant isolation, and (5) environmental control during the growth period such as means for regulating temperature, light exposure, carbon dioxide or oxygen concentration in the growing atmosphere, humidity, etc.
An important object of this invention is to provide an apparatus or system which satisfies one or more, and as many as possible, of the foregoing requirements.